Bar Harbor, Maine -- The Jackson Laboratory's team of cancer researchers will be the 2010 recipients of Maine Cancer Foundation's annual Carroll Award.

Maine Cancer Foundation is a Maine-based charity that awards grants to advance cancer research, education and patient support programs throughout Maine. "We are celebrating a successful year at our annual meeting on June 15," says MCF Executive Director Susan Rowan. "Many will be recognized for their support and good will. The Carroll Award is being presented to The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center."

Named in honor of Dr. Ron Carroll, who brought the specialty of oncology to Maine and was a founder of the Maine Cancer Foundation, this award acknowledges "extraordinary efforts to advance the path to a cancer-free future."

The Jackson Laboratory was founded as a cancer research institute in 1929, and in 1983 was among the first institutions to be designated a Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Over its history, Jackson Laboratory scientists have made major advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer cells and cancer tumor formation.

Jackson researchers established the first link between cancer and viruses in mammals, elucidated the major components of the immune system, created the first "humanized" mouse models for cancer research, and developed the authoritative online databases for mouse genomics, biology and pathobiology, such as the Mouse Tumor Database. Since 2000, more than 1,400 publications by Jackson cancer researchers have appeared in peer-reviewed research journals, including Nature, Science and Cell.

“It is a great honor that The Jackson Laboratory is being recognized by the Maine Cancer Foundation,” Woychik said. “From the day we opened our doors here in Maine 82 years ago, the Laboratory has been dedicated to using the power of genetics research to ultimately help equip the medical community with tools to more effectively treat cancer.”

Many of the Cancer Center scientists, Woychik added, have been inspired by cancer patients in their own families and the Bar Harbor community. “Finding a cure for cancer isn’t just a job—it’s a personal mission.”

The Maine Cancer Foundation, founded in 1976, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of Maine people. A grant-making organization, the Foundation meets the need for cancer research, education and patient support programs. One hundred percent of funds raised remain in Maine.

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution based in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a facility in Sacramento, Calif. Its mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human diseases, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community.

Contact(s): Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058

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